SpaceX discusses progress toward human missions of Dragon/Falcon 9

While continuing to impress even themselves with their ability to successfully propulsively land Falcon 9 first stages on land and in the ocean, SpaceX is continuing to progress on its human spaceflight endeavors, with the company’s Dragon spacecraft, Falcon 9, and ground operations development all keeping pace for a second quarter 2017 debut of the human-rated Dragon spacecraft before the first human Dragon launch by the end of 2017.

Most recently, following the Pad Abort Test in May 2015, SpaceX completed Avionics Testbed Activation in June 2015 before pressing on to the Critical Design Review (CDR) of the human-rated Dragon capsule in October 2015.

This was followed by the Launch Site Operational Readiness Review (LSORR) in November 2015 before Propulsive Descent Testing, Docking System Qualification, and the Delta CDR rounded out the year in December 2015.

“Earth’s upper atmosphere is also a really good analogue for Mars’ atmosphere,” noted Reisman. “When you get up high enough, the density and consistency of the atmosphere is very similar to what you face during Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) on Mars.

Speaking at the Space Expo, Reisman discussed this ECLSS test, stating “We’re building a flight-like capsule that we’re going to have on the ground in Hawthorne. We’re gonna put all our life-support systems on board, close the door, and make sure it works.”

This will be followed by the Delta CDR 2, which will help pave the way for propulsion module testing and spacesuit qualification.

Speaking of the Demo 1 mission, Reisman stated that the flight will be a “Complete end-to-end test of the crew mission, just fully autonomous. It’s gonna go up, rendezvous and dock with the Space Station, we’re gonna drop some stuff off while we’re there, and then bring some stuff home.”

Demo 1 will use the exact hardware, software, and operations planned for use on crewed Dragon missions and will therefore give SpaceX and NASA a chance to see how all of the human Dragon’s systems operate in an integrated fashion during actual flight.

Once the Demo 1 flight is complete, SpaceX will proceed forward with parachute qualification before performing an in-flight abort test.

This in-flight abort test will demonstrate the Dragon’s ability to separate safely during the most difficult region of first-stage flight.

“We’ve already proved we have enough gas in the tank [with the Pad Abort Test], now we have to prove that we have enough oomph from the engines to separate in one of the most difficult points of the trajectory,” noted Reisman.

“We’re gonna go up around MaxQ, and around that point we’re gonna separate from the Falcon 9 and demonstrate we can do that in the most demanding environments that the vehicle sees during ascent.”

While no official target timeframe was been given for this in-flight abort test, it’s anticipated that it will occur sometime in the second or third quarter of 2017, after the Demo 1 flight and prior to Demo 2 at the end of that year.

Once the in-flight abort test is complete, SpaceX will proceed through the Design Certification Review and the Flight Test Readiness Review, the final review before the Demo 2 crewed flight in the last part of 2017.

Demo 2 will, essentially, be a reflight of the Demo 1 mission, except this time it will carry a crew.

“We’re planning to fly Demo 2 by the end of 2017,” stated Reisman at the Space Expo. “This will mark, hopefully, the first time that we restore the capability of launching people to space from America.”

“So just like we land a rocket on the ground or at sea, what we want to do eventually is not land anymore with parachutes with Dragon. We want to land Dragon propulsively on land. And we are already doing testing to get us to that point.”

(Images: Via NASA, SpaceX Derrick Stamos for NSF and L2 (suit is unofficial and notional from L2, early 2015) – including SLS renders from L2 artist Nathan Koga – The full gallery of Nathan’s (SpaceX Dragon to MCT, SLS, Commercial Crew and more) L2 images can be *found here*)